Rim of Heaven
by FaithandFantasy
Summary: Luffy spent most of his 14-year-old life growing up on the streets. A horrible accident at a young age left the boy to fend for himself. But when he meets a mysterious stranger, Luffy soon learns of a world he could have only ever dreamed of, and that fairytales might not be all that far from the truth.
1. Chapter 1 - A Small Human Being

**Rim of Heaven by Faith&amp;Fantasy**

**Hi all! Welcome to my second fanfiction. Woo! This is a Modern, Fantasy AU for the One Piece world, focusing again on Ace, Luffy, and Sabo. Those of you following "Blame" may have seen my announcement for the coming of this fiction. I wanted to get it up by September, so here we go! Do not fear! "Blame" is my priority right now, so if you are following that story, I haven't forgotten about it.**

**This fic was one I had created even before "Blame" (back when all my stories were written in between Chemistry note pages and on the margins of English worksheets). True to my username, this fiction is a fantasy genre that focuses on mythical creatures in a modern setting.**

**Before we begin, there are some important things y'all need to know (however, if you really don't care, and that's okay, you can skip to the story. If you ever get confused, drop me a line or come back here): **

** \- This story will be VERY LOOSELY based off of an actual novel. The inspiration for this fiction comes from the younger book Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke. Dragon Rider was the first ever fantasy genre book that I read back as a child in elementary school. The book is a light story with a very simple plot. Even today, it still stands as one of my all-time favorites.**

** \- As such, this story shall focus on the idea of dragons and dragon riders. I will be tying into this story aspects from the plot line of Dragon Rider, but the story will be quite different. So this isn't me copying a story and just changing character names. This will be very different, but the founding inspiration comes from this cherished book. (ie, in Dragon Rider, a dragon is a dragon and that's it. But here, not all is what meets the eye.)**

** \- To tie Dragon Rider in, I will be using a quote from the story for each chapter. Now, the book was written for children, so there isn't very much 'quotable' material for me to quote. But I think this will still be a fun thing to do.**

** \- The title "Rim of Heaven" for this story also derives from Dragon Rider. So credit there as well.**

** \- This first chapter title happens to be a chapter title in the book, but I doubt I will continue doing that unless it really fits.**

** \- This story will be T for safety (mainly light language in later chapters). Right now, there are no warnings.**

** \- no written pairings. But if you think you see one, go for it! **

** \- OOC, as a result of the plot and modern setting. Ages will be different as well.**

**Okay, I believe that's all regarding the story. From now on, any footnotes with be at the bottom of the chapter to make it easier for you.**

**Summary:**

**Luffy spent most of his 14-year-old life growing up on the streets. A horrible accident at a young age left the boy to fend for himself. But when he meets a mysterious stranger, Luffy soon learns of a world he could have only dreamed of, and that fairytales might not be all that far from the truth.**

**Disclaimer: I own only the plot. All characters, references to characters, etc. belong to Oda. ****Dragon****Rider**** belongs to Corenelia Funke. **

**Please enjoy! :)**

Chapter 1: A Small Human Being

**_"Firedrake took no notice of her but just looked at the boy._**

**_'It's a dangerous journey,' He said. 'Very long and very dangerous. You may never come back. Wouldn't anyone miss you?'_**

**_Ben shook his head. 'I'm on my own. Always have been.' "_**

**_Dragon Rider_****_ by Conrnelia Funke_**

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

The steady sound of a basketball hitting hard pavement bounced off the brick walls bordering the park. The shuffling of sneakers and grunting could be heard from the court as a group of teens fought for possession of the ball.

Off to the side, a boy, unnaturally small for his age,sat alone on a bench, watching the game with interest. His deep, brown eyes trailed the ball as it was passed between players. Each young face radiated concentration. Sweat dribbled down their foreheads, only to be wiped away by an equally sweaty hand. The boy marveled at the other kids' determination. He'd seen professional basketball games in passing on the shop-window televisions before, but none could compare to the ferocity of a classic, street basketball match.

A shout startled the boy from his thoughts. He looked over to notice a few of the boys waving furiously in his direction. Blinking, the boy looked down, finding the basketball resting in the grass next to his worn down sneakers. Grinning, he picked up the ball and lobbed it back to the kids, who in return shouted their thanks before bustling back into the game.

The boy turned away from the game, picking up his ratty backpack and leisurely walking out of the park. Still grinning, the dark-haired boy walked with a skip, the straw hat hanging on his back bouncing happily with each step. The sun was beginning to set. People bustled up and down the sidewalk, eager to get home to families and a good meal. It was fall, and the nights were just beginning to grow cold enough to be uncomfortable. Frowning slightly, the raven scratched the scar underneath his left eye thoughtfully. He himself was only dressed in a light red hoodie and a pair of tattered jeans. He would need warmer clothes soon.

Shaking the negative thoughts away, the boy continued to weave in and out of the crowd on the sidewalk. Cars zipped by, their honks resounded off of the large skyscrapers that rose on either side of the street like mountains. No one noticed the boy, but that was exactly how he liked it.

The boy finally came to a stop at a small deli shop on the corner of the street. Delicious smells of roasting meats wafted from the small store, and the boy licked his lips. Cautiously, he approached the window, looking inside hopefully. His eyes roamed the shop, until they came to rest on the man at the counter. A grin split the boys face as he rushed into the store, straw hat flying behind him.

"Thank you, ma'am. Please come again." the clerk handed a woman who was dressed in expensive garb a wrapped package. The boy walked up behind the lady, his eyes trailing the package as drool dribbled from his mouth. The woman turned and looked down at the boy with a frown. The boy looked up at the woman's tight face, blinking innocently before offering a happy grin, dirt dusting his slightly-pink cheeks. The woman's lip curled in disgust before promptly pushing past the small boy, a sharp "Filthy street cur." being spat in his direction as she hustled out the door.

Not bothered in the slightest, the young boy turned to the clerk at the counter. The man had observed the whole event with a frown on his face, but upon seeing the boy, offered him a small, if not sad, smile. Thin hands gripped the edge of the counter as the raven looked over the counter top.

"Good evening Mr. Jones." the boy said, doing his best to sound polite while his mouth began to water again.

"Hello Luffy, how are you doing?" The clerk responded, watching as the child began to fiddle with a toothpick from a cup on the counter.

"Ok I suppose." The boy, Luffy, responded, abandoning the toothpick and dumping his backpack at the floor by his feet. The shop was empty except one young man who was sitting alone in the corner, sipping a coffee. Most of the people in the city were already at home by now at this time on a weeknight.

"Are there any leftovers today Or a mess-up?" The boy looked up into the older man's eyes, hope shining in the dark irises. But the man just frowned and shook his head sadly.

"Unfortunately no. The boss took all the scraps today and sold them to the dog pound man for cheap. I'm sorry Luffy."

Luffy looked down, his hopes crushed. He placed a small hand on his equally small stomach, biting his lip lightly as he tried to keep the desperation out of his voice.

"That's ok." The boy murmured, bending down to pick up his backpack, only to pause as a shadow covered him from behind. Startled, the boy looked up to see the young man from the corner standing behind him.

The man returned Luffy's wide-eyed gaze with slight interest, before ignoring the boy and turning to the clerk and placing a few bills on the counter. "One roast beef on rye please. Toasted."

Blinking, the clerk nodded before scurrying off to prepare the sandwich. The man once again looked down at Luffy, who stood frozen in place. Shaking his head, Luffy moved away from the counter to the door, stepping back out into the chill air.

Wrapping the hoodie around himself tightly, the boy hurried down the quickly darkening street. Luffy knew it wasn't safe to be out in the city after dark.

"Hey kid!"

A shout had Luffy stopping, a slight burst of adrenaline rushing through his veins as he saw a figure running towards him. He couldn't help it; running was how he was raised. Recognizing the figure to be the guy from the deli, the boy waited, positioned to run if needed. Luffy looked warily at the man as he finally came to a stop.

Panting, the young man held out a package wrapped in aluminum foil. "Here. This is for you." Surprised, Luffy slowly gripped the package, as if he thought the man would yank it away. Peeling back the foil, Luffy revealed a warm roast beef sandwich on rye bread. Surprised, Luffy looked back up at the man. Now that he was closer, the child realized the man wasn't as old as he had thought at first. Maybe only eighteen or nineteen.

The man stood up fully, running a hand through his own messy strands on raven hair. Freckles dotted his face, giving him a childish look that was contrasted by dark, piercing eyes. He was dressed in a dark pair of jeans, a black shirt and dark grey jacket. Bright red skater shoes adorned his feet, and Luffy found himself marveling at how large the older boy's feet were.

"Your name's Luffy, right?" The other boy's voice brought Luffy out of his thoughts.. He looked into the other's eyes and nodded, gripping the sandwich tighter and leaning back a bit, his small body tense.

"Chill, chill. I won't hurt you. It's nice to meet you, Luffy. My name's Ace." Ace held out a large hand, crouching slightly to Luffy's height.

Heisitating slightly, Luffy reached his free hand out to grasp the older's. The second their hands touched, Luffy felt a tingling sensation in his finger tips. A pleasant warmness burning in his palm. Startled, Luffy quickly withdrew his hand, only to find he missed the feeling once it was gone.

The older boy had a similar look on his face. His brows furrowed slightly, and he quickly stood back up, clutching his hand into a fist by his side.

"I have to go." He said curtly, and Luffy looked up in surprise, still mystified by what had just happened.

"It was nice to meeting you, Luffy." Ace quickly bustled away, and Luffy could only watch as the older's figure slowly disappeared from sight. Coming back to reality, Luffy peeled back more of the foil from the sandwich and took a sniff. He couldn't remember the last time he had a sandwich. Delicately, he took a slow bite from the sandwich, only to almost faint from the overwhelming sensation his taste buds were feeling. So _this_ is what food was supposed to taste like.

Nearly forgetting the whole experience, Luffy turned away, chewing happily, and began to make his way back down the street in the opposite direction. He wondered if he would ever see Ace again, and made a mental note to thank the older boy if he ever did. But for now, he would thank his luck, and for the first time in a long while, Luffy wouldn't go to bed hungry.

* * *

The slamming of a door echoed down the long hallway. Portraits of various individuals hung from golden frames and an ornate, marbled staircase rose majestically at the end of the corridor.

"Ace? Is that you?" A voice called from up the stairs. The perpetrator of the door-slamming ignored the call, opting instead to hang up his jacket and slip off the pair of expensive, red skater shoes. Ace looked down at the shoes. He wasn't even sure why he had them. He didn't even skate. Shrugging, Ace cracked his neck side to side and made his way up the stairs.

Another boy of the same age stood halfway up the flight at the next level. This boy was blonde with wavy hair, and wore a tailcoat with a cravat around his neck.

"Ace, I'm surprised you're home. What are you doing back so early?" the blonde spoke with suspicion.

Ace ignored the other, continuing into a small kitchen on the second floor and straight to the fridge.

"Ace? Are you just going to ignore me? What's going on?" The blonde continued, following the raven.

Ace grabbed a soda from the fridge, slamming the door shut with his heel and walked back past the blonde and into a sitting area across the hall. He plopped heavily into a plush couch, shoving some of the embroidered cushions unto the floor and propping his feet up on the glass coffee table.

The blond twitched slightly, obviously irked by the dark boys movements, but ignored them for the time being. "Ace, please tell me whats wrong. Is it the Rage? I can help you. Do you need me to get Marco? Or Oyaji?"

Ace took a look gulp of the soda before putting it down on the table and finally looking up at the blonde. "Sabo," He said to the other, a haunting look in his dark eyes. He brought a hand to his face, rubbing tiredly.

"It _is_ the Rage. I knew it. Stay here. I'll go on ahead and-" but Ace cut Sabo off, stopping the blonde from dashing out of the room.

"No no, it's not the Rage."

Sabo looked at Ace, surprise written clearly on his face. "It's not? Then why are you home? You're usually out and about by now, doing whatever you flying lizards do at night. You're usually out the latest of them all."

Ace sat up fully, sliding his sock-clad feet back to the ground.

"Well, it seems I've run into a bit of a problem."

Sabo looked at his brother, urging him on silently.

"Look's like I've found myself a rider."

* * *

**End! There's the first chapter of "Rim of Heaven". I know it's short, but that's just for now. What do you think? Please review to let me know your thoughts. Reviews keep me going, and are such a wonderful present! I look forward to them so much.**

**Thanks for reading my newest fic. The next chapter of "Blame" should be out shortly; I'm just finishing up revising it. Chapter two for this will be out soon as well. More action to come now that all the boring set up is done!**

**Thanks again for reading! :)**

**Respectively yours,**

**FaithandFantasy**


	2. Chapter 2 - Rescue

**Rim of Heaven by Faith&amp;Fantasy**

***peeps around the corner* Hellooo? Anybody here? *avoids shower of watermelons thrown angrily in writer's direction***

**Hi everyone. I humbly apologize for my absence *bows deeply* I hope you can forgive me and give me the honor of continuing to read my stories. As with any human person, life was life, but it is not my place to make excuses. I have a duty as an author, and I shirked from that duty. I am very sorry. I will try my hardest to do better. You guys deserve my best effort, you really do. I won't keep you here long. **

**Here's the information you need for this chapter: **

**Once again, this story is loosely based off of the book ****Dragon Rider ****by Cornelia Funke. Beginning quote from Dragon Rider.**

** \- Warnings: This story is T, but this chapter is probably a STRONG T for some suggestive-ness in both language and action. There is cursing as well as actions sexual in nature, although nothing explicit. This chapter contains abuse and violence. Please read with discretion. ****_If you believe this story needs a higher rating, PLEASE let me know so I can change it appropriately. Thank you so much_****.**

** \- no written pairings. A NOTE: this story is written with the intention of a strong brotherly!AceLu. However, please feel free to see this and any other pairings however you wish. If you see something different then what is stated, then by all means go for it! I recognize that my writing can be taken in many different contexts. I do not aim to offend anyone. Make the story yours, and read it as you like. That is the beauty of writing.**

** \- OOC, as a result of the plot and modern setting. Ages will be different as well.**

**Summary:**

**Luffy spent most of his 14-year-old life growing up on the streets. A horrible accident at a young age left the boy to fend for himself. But when he meets a mysterious stranger, Luffy soon learns of a world he could have only dreamed of, and that fairytales might not be all that far from the truth.**

**Disclaimer: I own only the plot. All characters, references to characters, etc. belong to Oda. ****Dragon Rider**** belongs to Corenelia Funke. **

**One more note. This chapter starts off exactly where the last one ended.**

**Annnnnnnd...Begin!**

Chapter 2: Rescue

**_"Firedrake uttered a low growl. Deep and threatening._**

**_The men whipped around - and dropped Ben to the floor like a sack of potatoes. He scrambled up in terror and ran toward Firedrake._**

**_'You were supposed to get out of here!' he shouted. 'I...'_**

**_'Climb on,' the dragon interrupted, without taking his eyes off the two men. They were still standing there as if rooted to the spot. Ben, his legs trembling, clambered up unto Firedrake's back._**

**_'Go away,' the dragon commanded. 'This boy is mine!' His low voice echoed through the dark cellar._**

**_The men staggered and fell against each other in alarm._**

**_'I'm d-dreaming!' one of them stammered. 'That's... that's a dragon!'"_**

******_Dragon Rider_****_ by Conrnelia Funke_**

"Ace this is great!" Sabo exclaimed, reaching towards the raven in excitement.

"No, no it is not!" Ace avoided Sabo's advance and got to his feet, his face set in an angry scowl.

"I don't need a rider! Especially not some bratty street rat."

Sitting on the abandoned couch, Sabo eyed his brother curiously. "Street rat?"

"Yes!" Ace whirled on the blonde, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "He's just some kid I found on the street today. He was as thin as a stick, so I tried to be nice and buy him a sandwich, and somehow I ended up with the brat as my rider." Ace slumped into the couch with a groan. "It doesn't matter though. There's no way in _hell_ I'm having that kid as a rider. Or any rider in general."

"Ace," Sabo ventured cautiously, wary of his brother's temper. "We've gone over this before. Every dragon needs a rider. The Rage.."

"TO HELL WITH THE RAGE!" Sabo flinched slightly as Ace banged his fist angrily on the side table, promptly setting the entire fixture ablaze.

Sabo quickly jumped up and ran to the kitchen, grabbing a bucket placed oh-so-conveniently by the doorway. He heard Ace's groan of frustration as he filled the bucket and rushed back into the sitting area. But when he got to the side table, the fire was already put out and the wood looked only mildly scorched. Ace was on his feet again, his back to the blonde and facing the stairs.

"Shut up, you idiot." a voice from the staircase floated sleepily over. "All your screaming and yelling is going to wake up the entire household, yoi. Not all of us can sleep all day." A man clad in blue boxers with a plain, white shirt appeared over the railing. He looked a bit older than the other boys, and had a tuft of blond hair on his head, sticking up like palm fronds in what appeared to be bed-head.

"Thanks Marco." Sabo said graciously while returning the bucket to the doorway, leaving it half full in case of any more "incidents".

Marco nodded in response. The taller male leaped down the last few stairs, landing on the wooden floor with a soft _thud_. "Now what's all this about you finding a rider, yoi?"

Ace growled before flopping back to the sofa, waving his hand at Sabo to explain. Said blonde rubbed his temple and turned towards Marco.

"Apparently, Ace made contact with a young boy on the streets today and felt the Rider Bond." At this, Marco raised his eyebrows slightly while the rest of his face remained expressionless.

"But Ace refused to accept it and had one of his tantrums." Sabo continued, arms folded across his chest.

Ace squawked indignantly at the last comment. "I did NOT have a tantrum!"

"Right." Marco stated flatly. He turned to the raven. "So what are your going to do about it?"

"Nothing, of course." Ace replied, leaning back with his arms behind his head, eyes closed. "I don't _need_ a rider."

Groaning with frustration, Sabo sunk to the couch next to his brother. "Ace, look at me."

The raven scowled and turned his face away from the blonde.

"Fine, but at least listen. I know you don't want a rider. To be honest, I can barely even imagine you sharing that kind of tie with someone. But this isn't about what you want anymore, Ace! This is about what you _need_. And like it or not, you need a rider before the Rage consumes you like it has countless other dragons."

The house was silent, Sabo's words seeming to linger in the empty corners of the room like cobwebs.

Finally, Ace spoke, his voice a hesitant whisper as though he didn't dare to rupture the serene silence. "The Old Man never had a rider."

"Whitebeard is different, you know that." Sabo replied softly.

"How though? He's just like me and all the others. If he is strong enough to resist the Rage, than I can too!"

"Pops isn't facing the Rage alone, yoi. He has me."

"And I have Sabo!" Ace defended, a whine steadily making its way into his voice.

"My kind aren't riders, Ace." Sabo whispered, face cast down as though ashamed.

Disgruntled, Ace grasped his raven locks tightly, palms pressed to his forehead. "I _know_, Sabo. I know. I just..." Ace trailed off. There was nothing left he could argue.

Marco walked forward from his post at the bottom of the stairs. He placed a warm hand on the dragon's shoulder, squeezing lightly. "It's hard, Ace. I get that, yoi. This isn't as simple as choosing whether or not to have fries with your burger. This is a lifetime choice. One that affects more than just you."

Ace stayed silent, looking at his hands that were now resting palm up in front of him, his elbows braced against his knees. "I...I need time."

Marco nodded, silent.

Ace rose, shrugging the older blonde's hand off and ignoring Sabo's outstretched one. The young man stalked towards the staircase, pausing at the top that led downstairs. "Tell he Old Man that I'll be back in the morning." Without waiting for a reply, he thudded down the stairs. A resounding bang alerted the other males that Ace had left.

Sabo rushed over to the window, catching a fleeting glimpse of a large shadow passing over the city rooftops. The blonde's sensitive ears picked up the sound of large wind gusts as they grew fainter into the night.

Sabo sighed, turning back to the Marco who was now seated on the couch, still looking to the stairs that Ace has disappeared down. Sabo joined him, the younger's mind lost in thought. Both were thinking the same thing.

_Who is this boy?_

_-(still can't find mine linebreaks...sorry)-_

_This is stupid_.

Luffy stared down at his shoes, once again counting the number of holes in the ratty, red sneakers. There were currently seventeen, plus one tear that he didn't count as a _hole_ because it wasn't circular. Holes are _round_ not long and skinny.

The young boy looked up. The sun had already set but he couldn't bring himself to get up. A small voice somewhere in the back of his mind chimed alarmingly, but Luffy ignored it. He was too tired to get up.

_It's been two weeks. I doubt he would even remember me._

Luffy spun his old straw hat between his fingers. He had been coming to the deli nearly every night now, hoping that by some chance that nice guy might show up and buy him another sandwich.

_Stupid_. Luffy berated himself mentally again. Somewhere deep in his mind, Luffy knew that hunger wasn't the only reason he wanted to see the older boy. _He said his name was Ace. _

There was something about Ace. Some feeling he had never felt with anyone ever before. He longed to see the man again. For some reason, Luffy couldn't help but feel safe at the very thought of older boy.

Shaking his head, Luffy finally convinced his body to rise. The shop was closed. _No scraps again._ Luffy looked up at the few stars that shone bright enough to make it through the glaring city lights. The small raven wondered in awe: how could something so small be that strong? He wanted to be strong like that.

_Ha! You're just a weak little street rat that no one wants. Heck your own family didn't even wa-_

_No_. Luffy shook the taunting voice away. Those were words he had heard way too many times. He was fine on his own. He didn't need anyone.

Luckily, home wasn't far away. Well, it wasn't exactly a "home" per say. Luffy lived in an abandoned warehouse on the edge of the city, only about seven or so blocks from the deli and the park. It wasn't much, but it was better than a soggy cardboard box on a filthy street corner. Over time, Luffy managed to snitch some of the more necessary items like blankets and basins to collect rainwater. There wasn't any electricity in the warehouse, so he had to rely on a clunky flashlight and his precious supply of batteries. There was plenty of old rags around to start small fires with, but-

_Red. There was so much red. Liquid red and tangible red. Red you could feel melting your skin. The red was screaming and hissing. The noise engulfed him, suffocating him, drowning him._

...Yeah, fire definitely wasn't an option.

The thought of his collection of warm patchwork-blankets and sheltering warehouse had Luffy quickening his pace. Soon, the smell of salt and the humidity in the air grew as the boy neared the piers. Shadowy buildings rose on the horizon. Luffy's warehouse was one of the smaller buildings, closest to the ocean on Pier Eighteen. It used to be a fishing cannery, and the smell still lingered. None of the other city homeless wanted anything to do with the tiny building, making it the perfect home for a tiny boy. Besides, the smell reminded Luffy of the ocean. He has always loved the ocean, and had dreamed many times what it would be like to sail freely out on the blue. With that much water, Luffy knew that it would feel like nothing could ever harm him. He would be unstoppable, untouchable. He would be _free_.

Lost in his thoughts, Luffy didn't notice the pair of eyes glinting predatorily in a nearby alley. Until it was too late. Luffy was shaken from his dreams as a pair of rough arms attached to his slender limb, yanking him violently into the dark alley. He opening his mouth to yell, only for a large, calloused hand to silence him.

"Well well, 'ook what we gots here. What's a pretty 'ittle thing 'ike you doin' all the way out here?" A rough voice scratched in his right ear behind him, rancid breath wafting over his face and making Luffy cringe.

"Ah, he's a good looking one. Young." Another voice sounded in the darkness, this time to his front right. In the dusk he could just make out the figure of a man, well built and _much_ taller than him. "I bet this kitten would fetch a good price with that innocent little face of his."

Luffy began to pull against the hands holding him. Spending most of his years on the streets, he was far from defenseless. But these men were big, and the one holding him merely tightened his grip, laughing cruelly.

"He's a fighter too! Gots some fire in him." The man bellowed, spinning Luffy around and using one arm to clutch the boy against his broad chest. The other hand moved from his mouth the grasp his chin in a crushing grip, tilting his head up at an extreme angle to look the man in the eyes. Luffy's arms were helplessly pinned, and his struggle did little more than squirm in the larger man's embrace. _This is bad_.

"Tis a shame we will have ta 'et him go so quickly." The man continued, his voice in a mocking whine that sent shivers down Luffy's spine. He tried to scream, but his jaw was in a vice and felt as if it was on the verge of dislocation. "He's got such a cute 'ittle face. I bet he's good wit his mouth."

"There's no rush." The other man stalked forward until he was right behind Luffy, his husky voice ghosting over the boy's ear. A large hand snaked down and roughly grabbed his ass, eliciting a startled yelp from the younger, it's sound muffled by the other man's grip. "Why not play with him a bit? How does that sound, kitten?" The man purred in his ear, pushing him further into his captor. Luffy felt something hard pressing against his abdomen, and waves of nausea rolled through his stomach. _No_. Tears unwillingly beaded in the corners of his eyes. _No no no no no no_. Hysteria began to cloud his mind. "Wanna play?"

Panic washed over the boy, and his body acted on its own. With a burst of adrenaline, Luffy jumped, his skull smashing into the stubbled chin of the man holding him. The man howled in pain, dropping Luffy to the ground. Ignoring the throb in his forehead, the boy quickly scrambled to his feet, racing towards the opening of the alleyway about ten feet away. He took no more than four steps when a fist slammed into his jaw, knocking him sideways into the brick wall of the alley. His head hit the wall and his vision exploded with stars while bells chimed loudly in his ears.

The two men were quickly upon him, sending a barrage of punches to his face and chest. One particularly strong punch sent the boy to the ground, the wind knocked out of him. Gasping, Luffy tried to get his brain working to find a way to escape, but everything felt like it was underwater. Luffy knew he was fast, but when he tried to command his limbs to move, they felt like lead.

A sharp kick to his side followed by a distinctive crack woke Luffy up from the haze and a cry of pain tore from his bloodied lips. He huddled into himself, trying to protect his lithe form from his assaulters. _Someone. Anyone. Please, help me. _

It took a moment for Luffy's muddled mind to register that the attacks had stopped. The sound of muffled voices cut through the ringing in his ears, one angry and the other furious. Trembling, Luffy removed his hands that had risen to clutch his face and raised his head slightly. He blinked away the tears streaming from his eyes, and tried to focus on the images swimming in his vision.

A shadow stood at the entrance to the alleyway, tall and dark. The shadow was speaking, and although he couldn't make out the words, Luffy could tell it was _beyond_ angry. The boy groaned as the heel of a boot came down painfully onto his bruised back, effectively pinning him to the cold pavement. Struggling to breathe, Luffy focused on trying to make out the words being exchanged above him.

"...some nerve comin' in here. Get goin' pretty boy, this has nothin' to do with you."

"The boy is _mine_." the unknown voice growled, the sound strange yet distantly familiar at the same time. Luffy immediately felt warm spread throughout his entire being just at the sound of that voice. Before he could puzzle out why, the men above him continued.

"...look if you want him, you can has him, but you gotta pay a price." one of the men sneered. "He's untouched, pure. Isn't that right, kitten?" The man dug the heel of his boot into Luffy's back, drawing a whimper from the boy. "We normally charge by the hour, but for a fine looking gentleman like yourself, I think we could-"

"ENOUGH!"

Time seemed to slow, and the only thing Luffy was aware of was the _heat_. It was _everywhere_. Luffy clenched his eyes shut, his mind going numb with fear. Was he still on the ground? All Luffy could feel was the massive heat pressing all around him. He heard snippets of words, but he had no idea where they were coming from.

"...seeing things...can't be!"

"...dreaming...what is...-gon?! A real...!?"

Everything felt like a dream. Luffy forced his eyes open.

No, this was a nightmare.

Red and orange flames licked up the alley walls, sending spindly fingers grappling towards the starry sky above. The flames snarled and crackled, curling around him like brambles. Luffy felt something large loom above him, but he couldn't tear his gaze away from the hypnotic lights flashing around him. Shadows danced across his face, the hissing of flames and the pounding of blood filling his ears. He heard screaming. Was that the men? Or was he the one screaming?Luffy wanted to run; he wanted to cry out. But his body was paralyzed and his throat dry. He wanted to close his eyes and wake up and be back in his cocoon of blankets in his warehouse. But deep down, he knew that he wasn't dreaming. This was real.

Then, as quickly as it began, there was nothing.

Silence.

A hand came into his view, its long fingers and flat palm stretched out wide. Luffy found the strength to follow the hand to an arm and finally a face. A familiar face, with freckles and obsidian eyes filled with concern and something else he couldn't describe. The face's mouth was moving, but Luffy couldn't tell what it was saying. Dark spots started to crowd his sight, and the mouth moved faster, more frantic, as Luffy felt unconscious wash over him like a gentle wave.

_Ace?_

**Wow, talk about a cliche ending. But cliches are cliches for a reason I suppose! I know this chapter's length does not make up for my extended period of absence. I'm still reeling in shame for not having this posted sooner. I can only try to do better in the future!**

**Footnotes****:**

** \- Those of you who have read ****Dragon Rider****, I challenge you to try to figure out what creature each character is! Some of them are directly linked to the book while others are a bit of a stretch. Even if you haven't read ****Dragon Rider****, take your best guess!**

** \- Just to clear it up, I made up the Rage. It is not an element in ****Dragon Rider****; it was something I had to deepen the plot. It will make more sense in later chapters.**

** \- I wanted to play around with the speech of the men. So I basically just deleted and "L" that I saw in the one man's speech. It isn't intended so much to be an accent as it is just to differentiate them from Luffy and make them more thug-like. *shrugs* I'm not sure how effective it was.**

** \- That was my first time writing a scene like that. The scenes in "Blame" are much more subtle and a sort of "rising storm" and this one was just like BANG! Attackage! I gave it my best shot. I apologize if it felt rushed or un-believable; I'm still learning. **

**To my Lovely Reviewers:**

**LegendKI**** \- Thank you! I read this book many times back in Elementary School. It lead me into the Inkheart series (also by Cornelia Funke) later in Middle School. Major nostalgia trip! I'm really glad you find it interesting, and I hope you continue to find it so! Thank you for your review :)**

**Soulenna**** \- The first time I read/saw Ace, all I could think was "He'd be awesome as a dragon". Thus, this story was born! I couldn't think of a better story to pair my idea with than ****Dragon Rider.**** The plot is simple, and there is so many ways you can take it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope you will be willing to continue reading. Thank you for your kind review!**

**Blueh**** \- If famous writers like you keep coming around here, I might die of giddiness. Oh God, now I sound like a suck up. I always loved reading your stories! Even before I got a fanfiction account! I hope you stay hooked, because that means so much! I know I didn't update very quickly; I'm sincerely sorry and I will do much better next time. I hope ROH lives up to your expectations! Thank you for your encouragement, it means the world.**

**ASLFangirl**** \- Yay! Thank you! Maybe I should become a fisherman if I keep getting people hooked, haha. I hope this chapter was okay, I get so nervous that it won't be good enough and I'll disappoint a reader. I know, that's silly and it would be better to just update more often! I will try to do that with all my determination. Thanks for the kind review!**

**ama no itteki**** \- You have been counted! Thank you for the review. I hope you're still here? More to come, I promise!**

**LovelyMinx**** \- That makes two of us! I hope you still love it, because your review just brighten my day. If you have any tips, please feel free to share (that's not begging, honest. no sir, not begging). Thank you for your review! :3**

**lalalightwood**** \- EEEK I was not expecting so many reviews! Haha, maybe this chapter was another surprise? Good? Bad? Let me know! Thank you for your review. I hope you'll continue to read!**

**Diclonious**** \- Did this clear anything up? I hope so. If not, please feel free to message me anytime or review. I promise to answer as many questions to the best of my ability! :)**

**LostFairyMantic**** \- Aww, thanks! This is going to be so much fun to write, I can feel it! I hope this chapter was okay. The book may sound familiar because it is by the same author of the Inkheart series. Dragon Rider is just an old all-time favorite. From a critical standpoint there wasn't all that much to it, but I think that's why it appealed to me as a child so much. I was able to fill in the blanks how I wanted to. If you want a light read, I always recommend this book. You don't have to have read ****Dragon Rider**** to understand this story however, so don't feel pressured! Thank you again for your review! More to come soon.**

**That's all for this chapter. Those of you following Blame (I love you all btw), I'm at a sort of crossroads with how the major direction of the story will go. I have two major options, and I'm having a heck of a time deciding. There may be a poll going out on my profile for some reader feedback, but I haven't decided yet. Either way, my goal is to get at LEAST one chapter up this month for both Blame and ROH, if not more. So don't lose hope! :D**

**One last apology for my tardyness (heck, it's plain old LATE at this point) with updates. I appreciate you all. Please review if you can, they help me out in so many ways. Thank you!**

**Respectively yours,**

**FaithandFantasy**


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